Only 4,081 property owners in Ludhiana have taken fire NOC since 2019

Recurring blazes across the industrial hub have failed to impress the need for firesafety measures on property owners in the city, who continue to flout the municipal corporation’s directive to get no-objection certificates from the fire department with impunity.

While there are approximately 4.3 lakh properties in the city, of which around 1 lakh are industrial and commercial properties, only 4,081 property owners have received an NOC from the fire department between January 2019 and April 7, 2022. The figure also includes the yearly renewals sought over the last three years.

Fire department officials say an average 1,000 building owners receive the NOC every year, including those who renew their certificates. Over a thousand applications have been rejected due to inadequate safety measures since January 2019. The fire brigade had started issuing online NOCs from Jan 2019.

Around 915 building owners were given an NOC in 2021, and 325 have been issued the certificate this year so far.

An official, requesting anonymity, said only a marginal number of industrialists apply for fire NOC in the city. “Mostly industrialists who deal with multinational corporations or export their products apply for an NOC as it is mandatory for them to adhere to fire safety protocols. Other than them, the managements of establishments such as malls, hospitals, and marriage palaces apply for NOC,” he said.

‘No action taken against defaulters’

As per regulations, it is mandatory to get a fire NOC, while getting a building plan approved. However, many residents with politically influential allies are able to circumvent this directive.

Apart from deeply entrenched corruption, there are several loopholes in the system. “Many building owners apply for a provisional NOC for getting the building plan approved. With several of them forgoing firesafety arrangements, they do not apply for a regular NOC,” said the official, adding that costly firesafety equipment and a hefty fee also act as deterrents.

Public notice period expires

On March 16, the municipal corporation (MC) had issued a public notice directing industrial and commercial building owners in the city to avail fire NOCs by April 16, otherwise the department will initiate action against them. However, few property owners paid heed to it.

MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said he will look into the matter. “ We have decided to extend the notice period on the demand of industrialists as there are a large number industrial units in the city. However the civic body will ensure that the building owners avail the fire NOC in the stipulated time.”

The fire audit announced by former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and then local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu in November 2017 still hangs fire. The audit was announced after a plastic factory collapsed, following a fire incident near Suffiyan Chowk and 16 persons, including nine firefighters, were killed.